Sunday, August 16, 2015
I never knew Mary, personally. I have, however, heard about her at least once a week for the last 27 years from my mother, Robin Paynter. The very day before my mom received news of Mary's passing, she was talking to me about how Mary was as a youth - how she handled boys, bus drivers, and text books from third-story windows. They're stories I've heard countless times, but ones which I never interrupt or ignore. For myself and my siblings, stories of Mary and Margie have become straight-up tradition, and we revere them as we do the stories we hear about our old Grandpa and Grandma.
Our photo albums have several pictures of Mary and her twin sister, Margie. Mary was an anchor of my mother's memory for as long as all her children have known her, and more, and we have all loved the stories we've heard. My mother held Mary in the highest regard, and for having brought so much joy into Mom's life, so do we.
She's heartbroken, and she misses you. She loves you to pieces. Your departure has brought her to tears - no mean feat, considering how well Mom's weathered most traumas. But it's my mom who's most hopeful of all the people I know, because she knows we'll all see each other again someday, a notion which is lost on so many regrettable souls these days.
From what I know, Mary was an extraordinary individual, and even if it takes until after we've passed to encounter such people, I have a feeling it will have been well worth the wait. Your family is in my thoughts and prayers, and I wish you all well. You've just witnessed the final chapter of an amazing story. Harvest the morals of it, and feed them to your young. They'll thank you later.
